


The Path of the Dark

by CatiiaSofiia, MissChrisDaae



Series: Three Paths Not Followed [2]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Canon Divergence - Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emperor Vader, F/M, Imperial Skywalkers, Parent Darth Vader, Suitless Darth Vader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-18 14:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18701845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatiiaSofiia/pseuds/CatiiaSofiia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissChrisDaae/pseuds/MissChrisDaae
Summary: Vader triumphs.Padmé resists.





	The Path of the Dark

“It's over, Anakin,” Obi-Wan shouted over the roar of the lava. “I have the high ground!”

“You underestimate my power!”

“Don’t try it!”

With a roar of rage, he leaped towards his former Master, wielding his lightsaber in a crazy way. He saw Obi-Wan’s attempt to slice through him, but with the Force, he shoved his Master back, nearly sending him into the hot lava. 

“You’ve always underestimated me, Kenobi, and that will no longer come to pass,” Anakin, no, not Anakin. It was  _ someone  _ else. Darth Vader. “Your journey ends here, Jedi.”

“Anakin.” Obi-Wan’s voice became slower and strained as Vader pushed him back. ‘Please.”

“Anakin’s dead,” Vader stated coldly, golden eyes reflecting the cruel, red lava. “It’s time to join your weak apprentice,” the blue lightsaber ran through the Jedi’s chest and when Vader pulled the blade back, Obi-Wan’s lifeless body fell into the lava. 

Something final, definite broke inside of him and there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt that Anakin Skywalker, was gone.

“Padmé,” Vader whispered and jumped with the help of the Force to more secure ground and ran towards the dock where the ships were stationed. Where Padmé’s body still lay motionless. “It’s time for us to be together, my love,” he said, picking her up bridal style and climbing aboard the ship she had taken to Mustafar. She stirred briefly in his arms and whimpered, but her eyes did not open.

She was fading. He needed to get her to Sidious now.

* * *

 

“Anakin,” Padmé opened her eyes to the feeling of her entire body aching. Looking down, she saw that her stomach was much smaller than it should have been. “Luke,” she gasped, trying to get up. Not the baby, not their son! What had  _ happened _ ? 

“Easy, love,  _ easy _ ,” her husband rushed to her side, placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to keep her from moving too much. “He’s perfect,” he smiled as he sat down in bed next to her. “You lost a lot of blood, the emdees said you would need to rest for a while. Please, love, calm down. Our son is in the next room, sleeping soundly,” he reassured her. “He’s also not alone.”

“What are you talking about?” she demanded, gaping at him. At the burning yellow that had replaced the clear blue of his irises. “What happened to you?”

“We also have a daughter,” he answered, ignoring her last question for the time being. “You were expecting twins, my love, that’s why you had such a difficult labor and it took such a toll on you. You were unconscious for a few days. I was so afraid I had lost you,” he whispered touching her cheek tenderly. “Both Luke and our little Leia are healthy and strong. Soon, you will be too.”

“Anakin, I know you’re hiding something from me,” she said hoarsely. “Tell me what you’ve done.”

Vader sighed. “I will tell you everything, but I will prefer you to rest. Your body went through a lot of trauma and it needs to recover. We can talk about it later. There’s no rush. We have all the time in the world. Don’t you want to see our babies first, Angel?”

“All the time in the world?” she repeated. “What about Palpatine? What about the war, the Jedi being murdered?”

“Padmé, Padmé, stop,” he squeezed her hand. “There’s nothing else for us to worry about. The war is over, my love, we can finally be together with no secrecy, no hiding in the shadows. Palpatine will no longer be a threat. Not to you or our family, not even for the Galaxy. So, please, for me and for our children, rest. I will speak with Threepio, see if can have anything brought to you. Shuura fruit, perhaps? You do love it.”

Her jaw clenched, but she nodded.

“Good,” he said pleased and stood. “Meanwhile, I’ll bring our babies to you. I think,” he paused for a moment, sensing the children next door, “Luke will be waking up within moments. I’ll be right back,” he kissed her forehead. 

Even his kisses seemed different. She tried to remember what had happened before she fell unconscious.

_ I love you. _

_ Liar! _

He’d tried to kill her. He’d tried to kill her, and now he was acting like nothing was wrong. She’d given birth while unconscious. Something had happened to Palpatine, to the Jedi, but Anakin wouldn’t say what. And those  _ eyes… _

The doors slid open and Anakin, if he still was her Anakin, walked in again, this time a baby nestled in his arms, wrapped in his arms, his little arms waving around. “I will give you to your mother very soon, son,” he whispered, eyes flickering to Padmé. “Luke is very anxious to meet you,” he kissed his son’s palm.

“What about Leia?” she asked worriedly.

“She is still asleep, I will bring her when she wakes, don’t be worried,” he raised one eyebrow, approaching her bed and sitting with Luke in his arms, blue eyes wide open, staring at his father. “Maybe have a one on one with Luke first?” He smiled.

She reached out with trembling hands towards her son, trying not to cry. “He’s beautiful.”

“Do you feel strong enough to hold him? He’s a heavy baby,” he chuckled as Luke locked his blue eyes with his mother and puckered his lips, hands flying towards her. “He wants you,” he whispered.

“I can do it,” she insisted, the tears winning out as she saw his eyes. “He looks like you did.”

He stared at her, frowning for a moment. Were his eyes really causing her so much distress? Before he passed the baby to her arms, he thought about how Palpatine maintained his identity secret for such a long time and when he did so, concealed that insignificant sign of who he was. If he could do it, Vader would have no trouble. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused on the midi-chlorians that made him, that gave him his strength in Force. He wordlessly manipulated them until he opened his eyes again, turning to his wife.

“Is this any better?” He asked, but his tone was clipped, impatient and he still held Luke tightly in his arms, the baby whimpering, anxious to be held by his mother.

“Ani, you’re upsetting him, let me hold him,” Padmé pleaded.

“You didn’t answer me,” he said.

“Yes, yes, it’s better, please,” she said hurriedly as Luke squirmed.

Vader huffed and carefully, transferred Luke to his mother’s arms. He had changed his eye color to please her and she barely noticed. Why was a  _ color  _ such a meaningful thing to her? Why was  _ that  _ her focus? They were all together. Safe. They were no longer under the imminent threat of the war and no longer had to hide in the shadows and she looked like she didn’t care that he had done all of it, for her.

“There now, sunburst, it’s alright,” Padmé soothed the baby, rubbing his hair as he immediately quieted in her arms. “Mamma’s here, you’re alright.”

“Implying something?” Vader questioned calmly.

“Children need their mother,” she answered, looking up at him innocently.

“I will see about Leia. She’s usually very in sync with her brother’s schedule,” he said, standing up and heading towards the door. “Threepio will be here shortly, he’ll bring you some food.”

“Anakin. Please. Tell me what happened. How did you…”

“Leia’s awake,” he interrupted her and left.

“Luke, I’m afraid,” Padmé whispered, holding her son all the closer to her chest.

The doors opened again, but it wasn’t her husband, it was Threepio, carrying a tray with shuura fruit, tea, and a few of her favorite cakes. “Mistress Padmé, so good to see you awake and with Master Luke! We were all incredibly worried. Especially Master Vader.”

“Threepio, tell me what happened,” she said, shifting Luke in her arms. “And what do you mean,  _ Master Vader _ ?”

Oddly quiet, Threepio set the tray on the bedside table at her side. “Master Ani requested that I would now call him Master Vader, since he is occupying a new position within the Galaxy. I would prefer if he was the one to tell you what has transpired.”

“New position?” she repeated.

“He’s the Galaxy’s new Emperor, Mistress Padmé,” Threepio answered.

“No,” she breathed in horror. Was that he’d meant before when he’d said they didn’t have to worry anymore? But that had to mean that Palpatine was dead. That Anakin had killed him. No, not Anakin.  _ Vader _ . Those terrifying golden eyes. The  _ choking. _ Obi-Wan was right, she’d lost him to the Dark Side. “ _ No.” _

The doors opened again and Vader entered, bouncing Leia in his arms. The girl squealed in delight, one fist tightly around his lapel.

“You can leave now, Threepio, thank you,” he said curtly and Threepio nodded and left. “What’s wrong, love? You look upset.”

“You nearly killed me,” she said hollowly. “You gave up your soul, turned your back on everything we fought for. And for what? Power? A throne?”

Vader sighed and sat in the armchair with Leia. “That is a very dramatic perspective of what happened,” he said. “I do regret hurting you. You were saying awful things to me,” he frowned. “But I realize now it’s not your fault, it was Kenobi. He turned you against me, filled your head with lies. I truly regret having scared you so, love. I do,” he bounced Leia, lightly tracing her cheek. “The power allowed me to save your life and save our children’s lives. The throne was… an added plus. When I found out Sidious wanted you to die, I had no other choice but to dispose of him as well. After that, it was all very fast. I was the only survivor of the Jedi. The terrible Order 66 that Sidious invoked, left them extinguished. The Galaxy saw me as their hero, saving them from the dictator. They chose me. I am done passing up with opportunities. It has been a long time coming.”

She shook her head, closing her eyes. “I told you this was a path I couldn’t follow. And it still is. I can’t stand by you if this is what you’re doing.”

He didn’t react in any violent, extreme way. He looked down at Leia, tapped her nose and watch her gurgle. “You are free to leave, of course,” he said coldly before raising his, again, golden eyes. “But you are leaving  _ alone. _ ”

In her arms, Luke wailed loudly and she rocked him back and forth, trying to calm his sobs. “You would use your own children as hostages.”

“Hostages? They are  _ my  _ children and I did not go through hell to stay with my family, for it to be taken away,” he replied as if they were speaking about something as natural as the weather. “I know you’re confused, Padmé, it’s a lot of information. That’s why I wanted to speak with you later, once you had time to think about this. I love you. I want to be with you. I won’t hold you against your will, even if it would break my heart, but I will also not let my children leave my side. They are mine. My heirs.”

“This isn’t love. If you have to issue ultimatums like this, you don’t love me. You don’t love the twins. You’re just trying to  _ own _ us.” Her shoulders slumped. “And the worst part is that you knew it would work. That I could never leave them.”

“I am only issuing ultimatums because you are overreacting. You are seeing the negative outcome of a situation that has benefited us. They are my children and they will be raised with me. You can’t accuse me of not loving you, or them, that’s despicable, Padmé and not a good example for the children. How can you accuse their father of not loving them, when all he’s done is keeping his family together?” He stood and kissed Leia’s forehead. “Mommy is being dramatic, isn’t she?” Vader whispered to the baby. “I don’t want you to stay here against your will. Please. Leave. But you’ll never see them again because I will not be alone again and I will  _ not  _ let go of my family again,” he hissed. “I did that once and it cost me my mother. I won’t lose anybody else.”

“And I can’t lose them the way I’ve lost you,” she countered. “I will stay, of my own free will. For  _ my _ children. So that they will know who their father should have been. But I will never forgive you for what you’ve done.”

“Is that really what you think?” He asked as his eyes widened at her words.

“I married Anakin Skywalker. And you’re not him anymore, are you,  _ Darth Vader _ ?”

Vader’s eyes turned cold for a moment as he turned away. “You still need to rest. I will be sending an emdee to do a check-up,” he said. “You need to give me Luke, now.”

“No.”

“Don’t make me  _ take  _ him from you,” Vader hissed. “Give me my son.”

“He is my son too!”

“Padmé, don’t test me.”

“Or what?” she snapped. “You’ll try to kill me again?”

Vader’s nostrils flared and a moment later, the baby was lifted from her arms. He cried out, but was soon, in his father’s arms, next to his sister, whose brown eyes observed everything with intense curiosity. Vader was able to soothe him through their bond. “Your mother needs to rest, my loves, we should leave her,” he said, kissing both of their foreheads. “Say goodbye to her,” his eyes glanced at Padmé, as Luke whimpered. He turned on his heel and headed for the door.

“You can’t do this!” she shouted as the door closed behind him. But the sound of locks and bolts moving into place told her very clearly that he could and he would.

* * *

Vader returned three days later, without the twins. Padmé wasn’t surprised. She hadn’t seen anyone apart from the droids attending her since he’d left. But it had given her plenty of time to explore the rooms he’d given her. And to think.

"You wanted to speak with me?" He asked quietly, observing her with curious, golden eyes. 

“Can you help me with this?” she asked innocently, indicating the open closure on the back of the black gown from the wardrobe he’d provided. “I can’t reach it myself.”

Suspiciously, he approached her, and with gentle hands, pulled the zipper of the dress up, fingers lightly brushing her skin. "Aren't you a little dressed up to stay in your rooms all day?"

“I’m not staying in here,” she corrected, looking over her shoulder at him. “With your permission, my love. I want to be with you and the twins, where I belong.”

"I thought I was a monster whose path you couldn't follow," Vader scowled. "Why should I believe you changed your mind?" 

“You can look into my mind if you want,” she whispered, turning to take his hands. “But the truth is that being without you made me realize how foolish I was being. I said on Mustafar that I will always love you. And I will. I do.”

He looked at her hopefully. "You really mean that? You want to stay by my side? Not only for the twins?" He whispered, squeezing her hands in search of reassurance. 

She nodded serenely. “You were right. The last few days, giving birth, the end of the war, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I couldn’t see that you’ve finally given us what we always wanted. But I see now.”

His whole face lit up at her words and he pulled her to a tight embrace. "You don't know, you have no idea how happy that makes me. I have missed you so much, Angel, I need you to guide me through this new world," he chuckled. "You know I don't understand a lot about politics but the Galaxy needs someone to take charge and who better than us? We've always wanted peace."

“And now we can achieve it,” she agreed. “After I see the twins? I’ve missed them so terribly, I haven’t even held Leia yet.”

"Of course," he pulled away, taking her hand and lacing their fingers together. "I'm sorry. I… I was so mad at you. I was afraid you would leave me. I didn't want to lose the twins. They give me hope. I never wanted to use them as a bargaining chip, I just didn't know what to do. I was desperate. I'll take you to the nursery now and you'll have all the time in the world to be with them," he said, pulling her with him so they could leave the room. 

“Yes,” she agreed softly, a calm smile on her lips.

If he  _ had _ looked into her mind, into the deepest hidden corners of it, he would have seen just how far her political plans for ‘their’ empire went. After all, Padmé Amidala had never been one to give up  _ that _ easily.


End file.
